Skip feed drive mechanism for a packaging machine



May-12 1959 E. D. sRAMEK ET AL 2,885,844

SKIP FEED DRIVE MECHANISM FOR A PACKAGING MACHINE Filed Oct. 18, 1956 A 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIGI Dn .I w u A f 0 B, S TKT Iv M E nAm M W H A R A S H um O mw 0,/ ML W4 Il EE May 12, 1959 E. D. sRAMr-:K ETAL 2,885,844

SKIP FEED DRIVE MECHANISM FOR A PACKAGINGVMACHINE Filed 001'.. 1,8, 1956 s3 el 6 INVENTORS;

ELMER D. SRAMEK ELLSWORTH A. HARTBAUER Mya/@25711, @ovr/w ATTYS 3 sheets-sheet 2 May 12, 1959 E. D. sRAMEK ETAL 2,885,844

SKIP FEED DRIVE MECHANISM FOR A PACKAGING MACHINE v Filed' Ocb. 18, 1956 Y 3 Sheets-Sheet 3- JNVENToRs; I ELMER D. SR-AMEK ELLSWORTH A. HARTBAUER M r I for `axially shifting a rotating United States Patent '2,885,844 SKIP FEED DRIVE MECHANISM FOR A PACKAGING MACHINE Elmer D. Sramek, Cicero, and Ellsworth A. Hartbauer, Des Plaines, lll., assignors to F. B. Redngton Co.,

Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Delaware Application October 18, 1956, Serial No. 616,822 9 Claims. (Cl. 53-63) 'Ilhis invention relates to packaging machinery and more particularly to machinery Ifor inserting articles `into pac ages together with printed leaflets which may contain instructions, advertising or descriptive matter which a manufacturer or seller may wish to include with each packaged article.

A packaging machine generally includes the conveyer with especially adapted pockets or buckets for holding and carrying articles to be packaged. A leaflet inserting mechanism for such la machine may include a magazine for holding a stack of leaflets, and a rotational member frictionlally engageable with `the Ileaflet at the bottom of the stack and operable to pass the leaflets singly from the magazine to further mechanism which may fold and thence insert the leaflet into the buckets of the conveyer together with the articles contained therein. The rotational member for `at the bottom of the stack, constitutes la mechanism for feeding the leaflets lsingly from the magazine. After a leaflet 'has been positioned in a vbucket and folded about an article, subsequent apparatus is arranged 'to transfer the article together with the leaflet folded thereabout into a package. However, if for any reason such as malfunctioning of the .meclhansms for loading articles into the buckets, a bucket appears without an article therein, it is important that the leaflet be likewise omitted since the leaflet inserted into an empty bucket cannot be transferred into .a package in the normal manner. Such a leaflet appearing alone in Aa bucket is .undesirable since it wil'lonly result in jamming the machinery.

Tlhis invention consists -generallyof anew and improved mechanical arrangement for selectively driving or failing to drive the leaflet feeding mechanism associated with the magazine. 'llhe driving .arrangement may be controlled 4by a mechanical detector associated with the'conveyer and sensitive to the presence or absence of yan .article in each bucket of the conveyer. Therefore, if a conveyer bucket appears with no article therein, la skip feedmechanism will disable the leaflet insertion apparatus and `nolealilet will be fed to the empty bucket.

An object of this invention is to .provide `an improved skip feed drive means wherein a driving element rotates continuously and is axially shiftahle from an operative .position to an yinoperative position such that a driven element will be engaged and driven thereby only when the drive element `is in an operative position.

A further obj ect is to provide drive velement wherein a normally quiescent shift arm and a continuously oscillatingarm may be locked together inresponse -to a detector or article-sensing device and whereupon the shift arm Will move with the oscillating drive member axially.

Another object is to providefa. driving arrangement :for a leaflet or pamphlet feed mechanism .including a `driven element Ihaving a flange for positive engagement with `a frictionally engaging the single leaflet an improved mechanism ann and shift the rotating continuously rotating drive element and having a further, g

means constituting an impositive stop for holding the driven element stationary; thus, when engaged by the drive element, the driven element will be rotated .-againstra resisting force oftheimpositive stop, and when not engaged by the drive element, the driven element is-lheldstationary bythe impositive stop.

'.ffor tooth paste, shaving cream, etc.

between the fiber disks 7 -disks 7, and, therefore, the 4 l.for 4frictionally engaging and moving a .leaflet `from the A more complete understanding of the present invention, its mode of operation andV its advantages, may be gathered Vfrom further reading of this specification, together with an inspection of the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. l is a perspective view of a portion of a packaging machine illustrating the skip feed drive mechanism of this invention;

Fig. 2 is a "2-2 of Fig. l rangement;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary perspective View illustrating the positioning of the drive member and associated parts during a rotative movement thereof when no printed leaflet is Ibeing fed from the magazine;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 but illustrating the positioning of the drive member and the associated parts in an operative position during la cycle for feeding a leaflet for folding and inserting into a bucket;

Fig. 5 is a vertical section along the plane 5.5 of Firg. l;

Fig. 6 is a 6 6 of Fig. 3; y

Fig. 7 .is an enlarged vertical section along .the plane 7 7 of Figs. 3 and'6; and

Figs. 8 through 14 are schematic diagrams illustrating progressively the mamler in which a leaflet is fed from 'the bottom `of a stack .in the magazine, 4is folded, and thence is inserted into and folded over the end of a conveyer bucket.

The packaging machine illustrating this invention inperspective View looking along 4the plane Iand showin-g the mechanical ldetector ar- .perspective View looking/along the plane `-cludes a movable conveyer 1 with especially adapted Asized articles, .although `the specific articles 3 `illustrated l.by the drawings are pliable tubes such as might be used Leaflet inserting mechanism The mechanism for inserting printed leaflets or circulars 4 into the buckets?. comprises a magazine 5 adapted -to rhold a stack 4of such lealietsA, Figs. 1 and 5. A rotatably mounted :shaft 6 .is positioned to extend beneath the stack of .leaflets in the magazine 5, and a plurality of .fibrous disks 7 are mounted to rotate freely thereon. The .fiber disks 7 thereby provide a bottom support for the pamphlets or leaflets `in the magazine 5, Fig. `5. Spaced are mounted a plurality of Arubber fingers 8` which are secured to and rotatable with ,the shaft 6 bya mounting structure 9. Asshownin Fig. 5, the rubber fingers 8 extend outwardly from the shaft a distance slightly greater than the -radius of the liber `fingers 8 4constitute ameans stack 10; and the shaft=6`with the rubber .linger members 8 .mounted thereon constitutes a feeding means for .feeding a single printed .leaflet `from the bottom of the vstack of leaflets positioned thereabove.

The operation of the Aleaflet feeding mechanism :is shown in Fig. .8. The vfingers 8 rotating ,with the shaft.6 lengage and move a single leaflet 4 from the .bottonrof the stack of leaflets 10 and thereby the bottomlealletA .is .fed between a pair of continuously Vrotating rollers 11 lwhich move the leaflet 4to the left (as illustrated `in Fig.

.8) and into a position forthelirst of the folding `operations. Fig. 9 .illustrates the leaflet 4 at the commence- `ment of the folding operations whereina -blunt blade 12 .moves downwardly and forces .the leaflet into a narrow l vertical slot 13 thereby creating a .center fold. As illus- .tratedr-in Fig. l0, the bluntblade `12 thence-moves up- .wardly leaving the folded leaflet Withinthewer-tical slot 13. Fig. 11 shows the commencement of the second and the right end 23 is urged downwardly.

assasaa leaflet folding operation wherein a second blunt blade 14 moves horizontally and forces the leaflet through a. horizontal slot 15. In Fig. 12, the second blunt blade 14 is retracted from the leaflet which is then folded twice and becomes alined with a bucket 2 of the conveyer. Fig. 13 illustrates the inserting operation wherein a pusher arm 16 engages and moves the leaet 4 into a space 17 beneath a false bottom 18 underlying the article or tube 3 inside the bucket 2. The final folding operation is illustrated in Fig. 14 wherein the conveyer buckets 2 move to the left in close proximity to a stationary arcuate rail 19. The stationary rail 19 curves upwardly and over the bucket, and the pamphlet 4 is folded upwardly and over the end of the article or tube 3 as the bucket 2 moves along the conveyer in spaced relation with the rail 19. In a subsequent transfer operation (not shown), the article 3 may be transferred from the bucket 2 into a package and the folded leaflet 4 will be carried along with the article and likewise inserted into the package.

The article detector mechanism The detector mechanism for sensing the presence or absence of an article 3 within a conveyer bucket 2 is best illustrated in Fig. 2. A detector arm 20 is mounted to pivot about a point 21 on a stationary bracket plate 22 attached to the frame of the machine. An extremity 23 of the detector arm 20 is dimensioned to descend into notches 24 on the sides of the buckets 2 and will be held upwardly by any article 3 which may appear in each successive bucket. A rearward extension 25 of the detector arm 20 is positioned to engage and operate an electric switch 26 when the arm 20 pivots in a clockwise direction (as viewed in Fig. 2), and lthe end 25 moves upwardly. A tension spring 27 is positioned between a stud 28 xed to the stationary bracket 22 and a stud Z9 on the `detector arm extension 25. Thus, as shown in Fig. 2, the left end 25 of the arm 20 is urged upwardly The absence of an article 3 from a bucket 2 will cause the operation of the electric switch 26, since the detector arm 20 will pivot such that the end 23 will descend into the notches 24 of the bucket 2 while the end 25 engages the switch 26.

Skip feed mechanism As heretofore discussed, a leaflet feeding operation occurs when the shaft 6 and the rubber ngers 8 are rotated, Fig. 5. A member 30, hereinafter referred to as the driven member, is mounted on the shaft and rotatively secured thereto by a stud 31 secured through the shaft 6 and protruding into longitudinally slotted holes 32 of the member 30. Thus, the driven member 30 is free to move axially along the shaft 6, but is rotatively coupled to the shaft and is drivingly associated with the leaet feeding mechanism.

A stationary tube 33, Fig. 5, encompasses a part of the rotatable shaft 6 and is separated therefrom by bronze bearings 34. The tube 33 extends into a stationary part of the machine 35 formed integral with the magazine 5. A stationary member or collar 36 is xed to the stationary tube 33 and is positioned with spaced relation with the member 30, Figs. and 6. The stationary collar 36 and the rotatable member 30 have cooperating stops 37 and 38 which are engageable and will impositively retain the member 3) in a stationary position.

As shown in Fig. 5, the shaft by the bearings 34 in the stationary tube or sleeve 33 and by a bearing 34 in the magazine structure 5. A smaller dimensioned end extension 39 is integral with the main body of the shaft 6 and has a clamp 40 xed thereto. A compression spring 41 positioned between the clamp 40 and a washer 42, which abuts against the member 30, urges the member 30 axially to the left, as shown in Fig. 6 (to the right as shown in Figs. 1,

is rotatively mounted 3, 4 and 5), and thereby tends to hold the stop 38 of the member 30 in engagement with the stop 37 of the stationary collar 36. Thus, the spring 41 and the stops 37 and 38 constitute means for impositively holding the member 30 in a stationary position.

A drive shaft 43 supplies the motivating power for the mechanism of this invention through the pair of sprockets 44 and 45, the chain 46 trained therearound and held by an idler sprocket 47. Power is thus transferred to a shaft 48 and thence to a gear 49 which, in lturn, drives a gear 50. Power is also supplied to a gear 51 to turn a shaft 52 which, in turn, rotates a crank 53 and moves a connecting rod 54 to oscillate the blunt blade 14, Figs. 11 and 12. Another gear 56 driven from the gear 50 reciprocates a link 57 connected to a crank pin 58 thereon and thereby oscillates a rock arm 59 for reciprocating the blade 12 vertically, Figs. 9 and 10.

The gear 50 constitutes a part of a continuously rotating drive means which also includes a drive member 60 rotatably mounted on a bearing 60' about the stationary tube or sleeve 33, and coupled to the gear 50 by a plurality of studs 61, Figs. 5 and 6. The studs 61 are fixed to the drive member 60 and extend longitudinally therefrom through appropriate holes in the gear 50. Each stud 61 carries therearound a compression spring 63 which is thus positioned between the gear 50 and the drive member 60 and urges the drive member 60 to the left, as shown in Figs. l, 3, 4 and 5, or to the right as shown in Fig. 6. The gear 50 is rotatably mounted on a bearing 61 about the stationary tube or sleeve 33, Fig. 5. A gear 62 is xed to and rotatable with the gear 50 for the purpose of supplying power to reciprocate the pusher arm 16, Fig. 13; and a grooved pulley 62 is formed integrally with the gear 50 for driving an elastic belt and powering the rollers 11, Fig. 8.

A flange extension 63 is formed integral with the drive member 60 which is continuously rotatable. A cooperating flange 64 is formed integral with the driven member 30 and, as is shown in Fig. 4, the flange 63 may engage the ange 64 such that the driven member 30 will be rotated by the drive member 60. The member 60 constitutes a continuously rotating drive member which is axially shiftable into an operative position for engagement with the driven member 30, or to an inoperative position wherein the flanges 63 and 64 fail to engage, and the driven member 30 being disengaged from the drive member 60 remains stationary.

A longitudinally extending cam 65 is formed integral with the gear 50 and turns continuously therewith. An arm 66 is mounted to pivot about a point 67 on a stationary part 68 of the machine and carries thereon a cam roller 69 for engagement with the cam 65, Figs. 3, 4 and 6. A short bell crank arm 70 is formed integral with the pivotal arm 66 and engages a compression spring 71 for holding the cam roller 69 into engagement with the cam 65. The arm 66 holding the cam roller 69 in continuous engagement with the cam 65 is therefore maintained in a state of continuous rocking oscillation by the cam 65 and therefore constitutes a continuously oscillating member.

A second arm 72 is likewise pivotal about the point 67. The arm 72 carries a cam roller 73 which extends downwardly therefrom into a formed groove 74 in the drive member 60. Normally, the arm 72 rides freely in the groove 74 and the drive member 60 is shifted axially by the compression springs 61 into an operative position wherein the cooperating anges 63' and 64 remain in engagement; and the driven member 30 rotated continuously by the drive member 60. The normal operation described above will continue as articles 3 continue to appear in the buckets 2 of the conveyer 1; and therefore the driven member 30 will continuously rotate in synchronism with the movement of the conveyer and the leaet feed mechanism will continue to feed leaflets for insertion into the buckets along with the articles.

t the presence or absence v'driven member 30 rtion, the solenoid 7 6 4is ;in an energizedstate and alink 78 associated with thesolenoid 76 is normally ,retracted frdownwardly. The link 78 ispivotally'attached toan arm .79 .Of ,ar'bell crank which is pivotally mounted at 80 and .normally held downwardly. A-n upstanding arm 81 of the -bell crank is therefore held pvotedtto `the right :(as Ashownin Eig. 1;), vand .a1link82pivotally connected theref to iselikewise pulledfinto'an extremepositionsto the right. I`helink 8,2 is Y coupled to a latch member 83 'by Va pair of clamps-84 and y85 and a compresison spring 86, Fig. 3. The first clamp -84 abutsagainst agpivotal end 87 rof the flatchmember 83, andthe v,compressionspring -86is positionedgbetween the clamp '8,5 and therpivotal end 87.

Zlhe latehmember 83 is pivotally mounted -on a bracket 88 attached to the arm 72; -and thelinkage 82, 84, 85, 86, between .the .bell crank arm f8 1.and the latch member83, is arranged exiblytopermit-the/pivotal `function of the .latch -rnember183even though the arm 72 may oscillate -and carry the latch member therewith.

In normalroperation with the the latch member .83 is urged into an open or unlatched position; that is, it is Apivotally urged 'in a `counterclockv.wise direction as viewed from above, Figs. 3, 4 and 6. The latch ,member 83 has lan integrally formed -hooked end 89 which isengageable with `a stop 90 rfixed tothe .continuously oscillating arm 1,66. As `,shown vin Pig. r4, .thelatch member `83 is pivoted to `a normally open position whereinlthe hooked end y89 and the stop 90 are Anot iengaged and therefore -the oscillations -of the arm 66 will .have no effect Aupon the freely movable arm 72. If aconveyer bucket `2.is detected to have no .article 3 therein, operation of the electric switch v26 will cle-energize the solenoid 7.6, anda tension spring 91 connecting the bell crank arm 83 4to a .lxed bracket 92, will urge the arm A,81 'to the 7left l(as shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 6.) thereby pivoting the latch member `83 into a latched position. Ihe hooked end 89 `of `the latch member 83 will thence .engage ,the stop 90 .of the oscillating arm 66; and the ,two arms 66 and 72 will be latched lor locked together such `that the arm 72 will move through an oscillation with the arm 66. As the arm 72 moves to .the left (as shown in Fig. 6), the drive member 60 is likewisemoved yto the left (to the right as shown in Figs. 1, 3, 4 and 5) or shifted axially to `an inoperative position compressing `the springs 63. Theengageable anges 63 and 64 are operated `and thus the driven member 30 is'disengaged .from the drive .member v60, as shown in Figs. 3 and 6. When the Vdriven member 30 is disengaged yfrom the posi- Ltive driving action of ythe drive member 60, it is held stationary by the impositive stops 37 and k38 cooperating between the driven member and the stationary collar 36. As the gear 50 and .the cam 65 .complete a rotation, vthe arm .66 completes one oscillation `together with thela-tched arm 72 such ,that the `drive member .60 returns toan engageable position with the driven member 30 for thenext `cycle which may be either operative or inoperative, depending upon the position of the latch member ,33. The latch member 83, the solenoid and the linkage therebetween, constitute a means responsive to of an article 3 in cach conveyor bucket 2. This means is operative either to latch or to unlatch vthe arms 66 and 72 whereby the drive member r6,0 will either be shifted to an inoperative position or will remain in .the operative position Vfor rotating the and consequently feeding a leaflet. Thus, by `employing the teachings of this invention, the feedingfof leaflets into respective conveyor buckets will solenoid 76 energized,

larrangement of the :resultfonly from thep`res ence of an-article inythat bucket; .and :an absence of lsuch .-an Varticle cause ldisablernent jo'f the leaflet feeding mechanisnrfor one cycle while that emptybucket passesfonthe conveyer.

twill ,automatically `.Changes may be made in the form, construction .and parts without departing Ifrom Athe spirit of the invention or sacrificing any of itsradvantages, and the right is hereby reserved to make all -such changes .as fall fairly within the scope of thefollowingclaims.

'The invention is hereby claimed as follows:

1. In a packaging machine yhaving aconveyer With a plurality of buckets thereon `for :carrying `articles .and having a leaflet inserting lmechanism operatively -asso- .ciated with the conveyer fforinserting a leaflet into each of the zbuckets, apparatus for disabling lthe leaflet ,fin-

serting mechanism when a 'bucket appears Acarrying v-no article therein, said apparatus comprising detectonmeans operatively associated with ,ltheconveyer for detecting the absence ofan article .in a bucket, continuously rotating drive means including an axially shiftable drive member rotatable therewith, a driven member drivngly Acoupled lto the leaflet inserting mechanism, said `drive member land said driven member Veach having an fengageable flange whereby the driven member will be rotated bythe drive member when the drive member is axially shifted into an operative position, a ycontinuously oscillating member, and a shift member operatively associated with the drive member and positioned in spaced relationship with the continuously oscillating member, and ylatching means `operatively associated with the continuously oscillating member and with the shift member for latching theshift member lto the continuously oscillating member for shifting the drive member to an inoperative position thereby disengaging the drive member from the driven member, said locking means being responsively .coupled to the detector means whereby to shift thedrive member to the inoperative position when no article appears ina `conveyer bucket.

2. In a packaging machine having a conveyer witha plurality of buckets thereon y.for carrying articles and having a leaflet inserting mechanism operatively associated with the conveyer for inserting a leaet into yeach Vof the buckets, apparatus fordisabling the lcailetinserting mechanism when a `bucket appears carrying no yarticle therein, said apparatus comprising a detector means operatively associated with the conveyor for detecting the absence of an article Yin the bucket, a continuously rotating drive means including a 4drive member continuously rotating about an axis and adapted to vshift .laterally along .the.axis, a driven member mounted to rotate about the axis yof the drive member and drivngly coupled to the leaflet inserting mechanism, and said drive member and said driven member each having a ange thereon, the flanges lbeing engageable with .each other when the drive member is axially shifted in an operative position, and the `anges being disengaged from each other when the drive .member is axially `shifted into an inoperative position, a continuously rotatable cam, a pivotal arm having a part-engaged with the cam and being vcontinuously .oscillated thereby, a second pivotal arm having a part engageable with the drive member, a latching means operatively associated with both of the arms for locking the second arm to the continuously oscillating arm and thereby axially shifting the drive member, said latching means being responsive to the detector means whereby ythe second arm shifts the drive member to an inoperative position when no article appears in a conveyer bucket.

3. In a packaging machine having a conveyer with a plurality of buckets thereon for carrying articles .and having a leaflet inserting mechanism operatively associated with the conveyer for inserting a leallet into each of the buckets, apparatus for disabling the leaet inserting mechanism when a bucket appears carrying no article therein, said apparatus comprising a detector means operatively associated with the conveyer for detecting the absence the detector means senses of an article in a bucket, a continuously rotating drive means including a drive member continuously rotatable about a central axis and axially shiftable thereon, said drive member having a peripheral raceway, a pivotally mounted shift arm having a part engageable in the raceway of the drive member, a driven member rotatable about the axis of the drive member and drivingly coupled to the leaflet inserting mechanism, said drive member and said driven member each having a flange whereby the drive member will drivingly engage the driven member when the drive member is shifted axially into an operative position, a stationary member positioned in spaced relation with the driven member, said driven member and said stationary member having cooperating parts for impositively holding the driven member in a stationary position, a continuously oscillating arm pivotally mounted in spaced relation with the shift arm, a latching means operatively associated with the shift arm and with the continuously oscillating arm, said latching means being responsively coupled to the detector means for locking the shift arm to the continuously oscillating arm when the absence of an article in a conveyer bucket, said latching means and said shift arm being operative to shift the drive member to an inoperative position wherein the flange of the drive member becomes disengaged from the flange of the driven member, said driven member being held stationary by the stationary member when not in engagement with the drive member.

4. In a packaging machine having a conveyer with a plurality of buckets thereon for carrying articles and having a leaflet inserting mechanism operatively associated with the conveyer for inserting a leaflet into each of the buckets, apparatus for disabling the leallet inserting mechanism when a bucket appears having no article therein, said apparatus comprising a detector means operatively associated with the conveyer for detecting the presence and absence of articles in successive buckets, a continuously rotating drive means including a drive member continuously rotatable about a central axis and axially shiftable therealong, a driven member rotatable about the axis of the drive member and drivingly coupled to a leallet feeding mechanism associated with the mechanism for inserting leaflets into the buckets, said drive member and said driven member having engageable flanges whereby the drive member will drivingly engage the driven member when the drive member is shifted axially into an operative position, a continuously oscillating arm, a freely movable arm pivotally mounted in spaced relation with the continuously oscillating arm, said freely movable arm having a part engaged with the continuously rotating drive member whereby the drive member will be axially shifted by pivotal movement of the freely movable arm, a latching means operatively associated with the freely movable arm and with the continuously oscillating arm, a solenoid mechanically coupled to the latching means, said solenoid being electrically coupled to the detector means and being responsive thereto, said solenoid being operable to cause the latching means to lock the freely movable arm together with the continuously oscillating arm and to thereby shift the continuously rotating drive means axially to an inoperative position when no article appears in a conveyer bucket.

5. In the packaging machine having a conveyer with a plurality of buckets thereon for carrying articles and having a leallet inserting mechanism operatively associated with the conveyer for inserting a leaflet into each of the buckets, apparatus for disabling the leaflet inserting mechanism when a bucket appears with no article therein, said apparatus comprising a detector means operatively associated with the conveyer for detecting the presence and absence of articles in the successive buckets thereon, a continuously rotating drive means including a drive member continuously rotatable about a central axis and axially shiftable therealong, said drive member having a peripheral raceway, a movably mounted shift arm having a part engageable in the raceway of the drive member, a driven member rotatable about the axis of the drive member and drivingly coupled to the leaflet inserting mechanism, said drive member and said driven member having engageable flanges whereby the drive member will drivingly engage the driven member when the drive member is shifted axially in an operative position, a continuously movable arm mounted in spaced relation with the shift arm, a latch member pivotally mounted on one of the arms, the other of said arms having an engageable stop thereon, said latch member having a hooked part for engaging the stop, a solenoid mechanically coupled to pivot the latch member, said solenoid being electrically coupled and responsive to the detector means, said latch member being operative to engage the stop and lock the shift arm to the continuously oscillating movable arm when no article appears in the conveyer bucket thereby causing the solenoid to pivot the latch member, said shift arm being operable to shift the drive member to an inoperative position when no article appears in a conveyer bucket and the shift arm is locked to the continuously movable arm.

6. In a packaging machine having a conveyer with a plurality of buckets thereon for carrying articles and having a leallet inserting mechanism operatively associated with the conveyer -for inserting a leaflet into each of the buckets, a skip feed apparatus for feeding a leaflet to the leaflet inserting mechanism only when an article appears in a bucket, said skip feed apparatus comprising a detector means operatively associated with the conveyer for detecting the presence and absence of articles in successive buckets, the detector mechanism including an electric switch which is operated thereby when a bucket appears with no article therein, a rotatably mounted shaft having at least one linger attached thereto and rotatable therewith for engaging and feeding a single leaflet to the leaflet inserting mechanism, a driven member mounted on the shaft to cause rotation thereof, a continuously rotating drive member mounted to rotate about the shaft and axially shiftable therealong, said drive member and said driven member having engageable flanges, means for urging said drive member axially into an operative position wherein the flanges are engaged and the driven member is drivingly coupled to the drive member, said drive member having a peripheral raceway, a pivotally mounted shift arm having a part engaged in the raceway of the drive member, a continuously oscillating arm mounted to pivot in spaced relation to the shift arm, a latching member pivotally mounted on the shift arm, a stop member attached to the continuously oscillating arm, said latching member having a hooked part engageable with the stop member whereby the latching member will lock the continuously oscillating arm and the shift arm together and cause the shift arm to oscillate, a solenoid electrically coupled to the electric switch of the detector means and responsive thereto, the solenoid being mechanically coupled to the latching member whereby operation of the solenoid causes the latching member to pivot and thereby to engage the stop member, said solenoid being operable to pivot the latching member and thereby to cause the shift arm to oscillate and shift the drive member lto an inoperative position when no article appears in a conveyer bucket.

7. In a packaging machine having a conveyer with a plurality of buckets thereon for carrying articles and having a leaflet inserting mechanism operatively associated with the conveyer for inserting a leaflet into each of the buckets, a skip feed apparatus for feeding a leaflet to the leaflet inserting mechanism `only when an article appears in the bucket, said skip feed apparatus comprising a detector means operatively associated with the conveyer for detecting the presence and absence of articles in successive buckets, a rotatably mounted shaft having at least one nger attached thereto for engaging and feeding a single leaet to the leailet inserting mechanism, a driven member having slotted openings extending longitudinaly therewith mounted on the shaft, a stud extending through the shaft and into the slots on the driven member for rotatably locking the driven member to the shaft and for permitting axial shifting therealong, a stationary member positioned about the shaft in spaced relation with the driven member, said driven member and said stationary member having cooperating means positioned on the shaft lfor urging the driven member into an abutting relationship against the stationary member whereby 'the driven member and the shaft are impositively held stationary, a continuously rotating drive member mounted about the shaft and axially shiftable therealong, said drive member and said driven member having engageable parts, means for urging the drive member axially into an operative position of engagement with the driven member whereby the drive member will rotate the driven member and the shaft against the impositive restraint of the stationary member, said drive member having a peripheral raceway, a pivotally mounted shift arm having a part engaged in the raceway of the drive member, a continuously oscillating arm mounted to pivot in spaced relation to the shift arm, a latching member pivotally mounted on the shift arm, a stop member attached to the continuously oscillating arm, said latching member having a part for engaging the stop member whereupon the shift arm will be locked to the continuously oscillating arm and caused to oscillate, said latching member being responsively coupled to the detector means whereby the shift arm will be locked to oscillate with the continuously oscillating arm when no article appears in a bucket, and thereby the drive rnember will be shifted to an inoperative position out of engagement with the driven member whereupon the driven member will be held stationary by the impositive restraining force of the stationary member.

8. In a packaging machine having a conveyer with a plurality of buckets thereon for carrying articles and having a leaflet inserting mechanism operatively associated with the conveyer for inserting a leaflet into each of the buckets, a skip feed apparatus for feeding a leaflet to the leaflet inserting mechanism only when an article appears in a bucket, said skip feed apparatus comprising a detector means operatively associated with the conveyer for detecting the presence and absence of articles in successive buckets, the detector mechanism including an electric switch which is operated when a bucket appears with no article therein, a rotatably mounted shaft having at least one nger attached thereto for engaging and feeding a leaflet to the leailet inserting mechanism, a driven member mounted on the shaft and having slotted openings extending longrtudinally therealong, a stud atextending through and further extending into the slots of the driven member whereby the driven member is locked to the shaft for rotational movement and is axially shiftable along the shaft, a stationary collar positioned about the shaft and in spaced relationship with the driven member, said stationary collar and said driven member having engageable stops, a spring means operatively associated with the shaft and with the driven member for urging the driven member axially along the shaft into an abutting position against the stationary collar whereby the driven member and the shaft are impositively held stationary, a continuous ly rotatable drive means mounted about the shaft and including a cam and a drive member, said drive member and said driven member having engageable llanges, another spring means operatively associated with the drive member Ifor urging the drive member into an operative position wherein the flanges will be engaged and the driven member will be positively rotated by the drive member against the impositive restraint of the stationary collar, said drive member having a peripheral raceway, a rst pivotally mounted arm having a part engageable with the cam which causes the rst arm to continuously oscillate, a second pivotally mounted arm having a part engaged in the raceway of the drive member, a latching member pivotally attached to one of the arms and engageable with the other arm, a solenoid electrically connected to the electric switch and responsive to the detector means, said solenoid being mechanically coupled to the latching member for causing said latching member to pivot and to thereby lock the first arm to the second arm when a conveyer bucket appears with no article therein, said second arm being operable to oscillate when locked to the lirst arm and to shift the drive member to an inoperative position against the urging of the spring means associated therewith whereby the driven member will be disengaged from the drive member and will be held stationary by the collar.

9. In a packaging machine having a conveyor with a plurality of buckets for carrying articles and having a leallet inserting mechanism operatively associated with the conveyer for folding and inserting a leaflet into each of the buckets, a skip feed apparatus for feeding a leaflet to the leallet inserting mechanism only when an article appears in a bucket passing in spaced relation to the leaflet inserting mechanism, said skip feed apparatus comprising a detector means operatively associated with the conveyer, said detector means including an electric switch which is operable when no article appears in the bucket passing in spaced relation to the leaflet inserting mechanism, a magazine for holding a stack of leaflets, a rotatably mounted shaft extending beneath the magazine and having at least one linger xed thereto for engaging and feeding a leaflet from the bottom of the stack to the leaflet inserting mechanism when the shaft is rotated, a stationary tube positioned around the shaft and extending from the magazine, a driven member mounted on the shaft to cause rotation thereof for feeding a leaflet to the leailet inserting mechanism, a stationary collar fixed to the stationary tube and positioned in spaced relationship with the driven member, cooperating means operatively associated with the driven member and with the stationary collar for impositively restraining and holding the driven member stationary, a continuously rotating drive member rotatably mounted on the stationary tube and axially shiftable therealong, said drive member and said driven member having engageable parts whereby the driven member will be positively rotated by the drive member when the drive member is .shifted axially into an operative position and whereby the driven member will be disengaged from the drive member and held stationary by the stationary collar `when the drive member is axially shifted to an inoperative position, a spring means operatively associated with the drive member for urging the drive member into the operative position, a shift arm engageable with the drive member for shifting the drive member into the inoperative position, a continuously oscillating arm mounted in spaced relation with the shift arm, a latching member pivotally mounted on the shift arm for locking the shift arm to the continuously oscillating arm whereby the shift arm will be oscillated and the drive member will be shifted to the inoperative position, and a solenoid electrically connected to the electric switch and responsive to the detector means, said solenoid being to pivot the latching member for shifting the drive member whereby the driven member, the shaft and the leailet engageable finger remains stationary and fails to feed a leaflet to the leaflet inserting mechanism when the detector means senses the absence of an article from the bucket passing in spaced relation to the leaflet inserting mechanism.

Shores Mar. 3l, 1942 Aguilar Oct. 9, 1956 

